


Comforted by your Touch

by SmellySlimeyTrash



Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: And an impulse post, Comfort, Crankiplier? I mean if you like that, Flashbacks, Freinds being pals, Friendship, Gen, Hurt Ethan Nestor, Hurt/Comfort, I don't usually write comfort fics, I'm lazy, Just because I didn't want to look, My First Work in This Fandom, Not Beta Read, Not intended to be Crankiplier, Panic Attacks, Sad Ethan Nestor, don't hate, idk wtf I am doing, this was an impulse write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmellySlimeyTrash/pseuds/SmellySlimeyTrash
Summary: During filming group Let's play, Ethan starts having flashbacks, which leads to a panic attack, Mark helps him calm down. There are tears and hoodie clutching.--**DISCLAIMER**I don't think Mark nor Ethan are gay, (though tbh if Ethan came out as bi I wouldn't be super-duper surprised, I would be VERY shocked if mark came out as bi). This is mostly supposed to be seen as two friends being buds, but if you see this as Crankiplier, that's fine too, I honestly don't care that much either way.
Relationships: Mark Fischbach & Ethan Nestor, Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Comments: 12
Kudos: 255





	Comforted by your Touch

**Author's Note:**

> So this all really kind of came from bingeing Unus Annus, watching just how emotional Ethan can be, and (the piece that brings it all together) timestamp 12:35 on the Unus Annus Video "The 1,000 High Five Challenge". Where mark looks into the camera and in a very comforting, and genuine tone says "You're crying? Don't cry. Hey, it's okay, everything's going to be okay." and tbh it healed me at least 160 hit points so, that's all the therapy I'll need for at least another year.
> 
> That video also produced my favorite quote to describe 2020
> 
> "Don't cry cause it's over, cry cause it happened" -Ethan Nestor 2020

Ethan prided himself on how calm he'd been throughout the filming of this video, he along with 3 others, Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, Pewdiepie, was filming a competition type game, Mario kart. There was a lot of energy in the room, the normally hyper Ethan found himself hyperaware of each of the other men, staving off panic.

Each win or loss was met with enthusiastic yelling.

*Deep Breath In*

*You're safe here*

*Breathe out*

He tried self-talk, deep breathing, but as mark closed in on his 4th win, the yelling became too much.

*Breath in*

*He's going to hit you*

*Breath out*

*No he won't.*

*Breath in*

*What if he does?*

*Breath out*

*HE WON'T!*

*Breath in*

*Right?*

His inner self-talk is suddenly interrupted by mark's thunderous voice. 

\--

"I FUCKING TOLD YOU I'M BETTER!!" Mark yelled, having won for the 3rd time, not in a row, but still, 3/4was good, he felt good, adrenaline and dopamine flowing through him. 

"What's that 3/4? Seriously?" Jack asked, having won second, again.

\--

*Just breathe*

\--

"I FUCKING WIN YOU LOWLY SACK OF SHIT!!" Mark yelled, pointing at Jack and Pewds, both of who had become slightly distracted seeing Ethan slightly dazed, his breathing picking up eye looking wide and panicked

\--

*He's not talking to you JUST BREATHE*

Despite Ethan's best efforts, he felt tears threatening to fall, he tightly closed his eyes, determined not to let the others know how he felt. 

\--

"Mark stop," Jack said, the seriousness of the situation begins to set in.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! I WIN YOU LOSE!!" mark yelled his back still turned to Ethan, the rush of winning making him blind to the concern and worry on the two men's faces.

\--

Ethan could feel his chest caving in, He clamped his shaky hands firmly over his ears, his mind was no longer in the with the others. Instead, he felt transported back to another time, a man much bigger than him screaming at him, throwing things, threatening him. 

*You aren't with him, he can't hurt you.*

\--

"MARK STOP!! Ethan!" Jack said stomping his foot pointing at Ethan.

Mark turned mid-sentence, his voice changing from joyous to more annoyed, as he did Ethan's demeanor also changed, no longer teetering between calm and panicked, Ethan plunged deep into flashbacks and a panic attack.

\--

Ethan tried to remind himself of where he was, or more where he wasn't, when the all too familiar sound of a foot-stomping down, and a loud thundering voice directed at him, shattered any semblance of calm the young man had. Hot tears streamed down his face, he brought his legs up to his chest, trying to make himself seem smaller. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!" he sobbed, he felt like he was being choked, like someone was crushing his chest.

\--

"Hey eff you okay?" Mark asked, already knowing that Ethan was most definitely NOT okay, though not really knowing what else To say. Mark's voice was now closer to a whisper. He slowly stretched a handout, wanting to bring Ethan back to reality, but scared of startling the smaller man further. 

"Don't touch him, let's just calm down, okay?" Jack said his hand's palm down made a motion to try to convey his message. Pewds nodded, "Should we- leave?" He asked a hand lazily pointing to the door, unsure of what to do to help, not wanting to stand by and watch, but well aware of how little he knew of Ethan, and how his presence may very well make things worse. 

Both Mark and Jack looked at Pewds unsure of what to say. 

"Hey, Ethan, do you want to be alone ri-"

Ethan's eye's shot open, the idea of being alone terrified him. He reached a hand out to mark, and, grabbed marks hoodie, bunching it in his hand, then let go just as fast, almost as if the hoodie were electrified. 

"Please don't go, mark. Please!" Ethan said, his voice cracked and splintered, the words coming out as more of a plea than a request. 

"It's okay, I won't go," Mark said, who then quickly turned to the others motioning them to leave. They did quickly, both out of respect for the youngest there, and a small bit of selfishness, seeing someone that upset was weird, and neither knew exactly how to process that situation internally.

"I'm sorry." Ethan cried though the flashback had passed the fear lingered, he reached out to mark, his hand hovering over mark's shoulder, he wanted to be held, he wanted to be hugged and told everything was going to be alright, that he was safe, Ethan didn't say any of this, he didn't quite know-how. He felt weak, before he could pull back, mark got up and sat down right next to Ethan their shoulders touching, and lightly wrapped an arm around Ethan's shoulder, wanting to express to Ethan that he cared, yet not exactly knowing what the younger man needed. 

Mark leaned back into the soft cushion of the couch, leaving himself open to let Ethan make the next move for how much physical touch he wanted.

Ethan leaned into the touch, his head resting on marks chest, as mark breathed in, slow, and steady.

Ethan focused on that breathing, matching it, he breathed in Mark's smell, it was grounding, bringing him more and more back into reality.

*In*

*And out*

*In*

*And out*

Soon Ethan felt himself melt into the older man, a strange comforting exhaustion took over him. Mark moved to adjust, numbness and strain making his arms and back hurt. Without any words being exchanged Ethan found himself on top of Mark, feeling his body rise and fall with each breath Mark took. Ethan moved back slightly, so his head was in the middle of mark's chest, his legs hanging off the couch arm, he gripped mark's hoodie tightly in his hands, almost as if Mark were going to float away. 

As Ethan let himself relax further, he slipped into a deep sleep, mark stayed like that for what felt like hours, feeling his friend's weight on him, it felt intimate in a way he didn't think two friends could be, he hated that it had happed this way, but he was oddly grateful nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> Now all I can think about is what it'd feel like being comforted by Mark after a panic attack, *sigh* one can dream.
> 
> If you liked this fic, please leave a Kudos and a comment.


End file.
